Christmas was made brighter for more than 100 children Saturday as the Warren County Sheriff’s office handed out gift packages and bicycles for children with parents being held in the Warren County Jail.

The halls of the sheriff’s office were lined with packages marked with numbers indicating whether the items were for a boy or girl or both. Bicycles lined spots in the reception area of the jail waiting to be claimed.

“This was started by Jimmy Hartley, our chaplain at the time, and his wife Debra more than 20 years ago, and his daughter-in-law, Stacy Hartley, has continued it,” Sheriff Martin Pace said. “For the last 20 years, we have been receiving donations from local bands performing in Jammin’ For the Kids, and our present chaplain Earnie Hall also participates.”

Jammin’ for the Kids was founded to raise money for toys and bicycles for the children of inmates in the county jail.

Besides the inmates’ children, Pace said, the sheriff’s office also provides gifts for victims’ families where the head of the household has been killed or incapacitated because of a crime.

“We also have adopted children with the Head Start centers,” he said.

The program has a new partner this year with LuLaRoe, which sells a women’s and children’s clothing, operated by Maury Minor and Beth Barnett, which donated 50 girl’s leggings that were distributed during the program.

“I had heard about the softball game (fundraiser) and decided I wanted to help out,” Minor said. “I got involved.”